Adjustable vending mechanism

Abstract

An adjustable mechanism for vending products includes left and right column walls defining a column divided into front and rear sections for retaining the products in front and rear corded stacks. A rear spacer provided at the back side of the column is laterally adjustable relative to the front side of the column to accommodate products of different lengths in the rear section. Front and rear product funnels are positioned respectively in the front and rear sections above the bottom end of the column, with front and rear adjustable product ramps interposed between the outlets of the front and rear product funnels, respectively, and the open bottom end of the column. The front and rear adjustable product ramps are independently pivotable about their pivot axes in response to movement of front and rear adjustment rods to change the width of the open bottom of the column at the front and back sections to accommodate products of different diameters. Front and rear rotatable cradles are positioned below the outlets of the front and rear product funnels, respectively, to releasably support the bottommost products in the front and rear corded stacks, and are independently rotatable to vend products independently from the front and rear stacks. The cradles are rotated by front and rear motors drivingly connected to the front and rear rotatable cradles, respectively. The front and rear adjustment rods each have a forward end formed into a handle which extends forwardly of the front side of the column through a cover plate covering the front side of the column. The cover plate includes a gauge thereon indicating positions of the handles corresponding to preselected product sizes. The cover plate can further include a size gauge for measuring the size of an article.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adjustable mechanism for vending products in a corded stack, the products having parallel longitudinal axes, said mechanism comprising: left and right column walls defining a column for retaining the products in a corded stack, the column having an open bottom end, a front side, and a back side;   a product funnel positioned above said bottom end, said product funnel having an outlet;   an adjustable product ramp interposed between said outlet of said product funnel and said open bottom end of said column, said adjustable product ramp being pivotable about a pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the products;   an adjustment rod in engagement with said adjustable product ramp, said adjustable product ramp pivoting about its pivot axis in response to movement of said adjustment rod to change the width of said open bottom end of said column to accommodate products of different sizes;   a rotatable cradle below said outlet of said product funnel positioned to releasably support the bottommost product in the corded stack; and   a motor drivingly connected to said rotatable cradle.   
     
     
       2. The adjustable mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a fixed product ramp in communication with said outlet of said product funnel, said fixed product ramp having a trailing edge and said cradle being positioned adjacent said trailing edge. 
     
     
       3. The adjustable mechanism of claim 2, further comprising a ramp cover extending downwardly from said product funnel in spaced apart relation to said fixed product ramp, said ramp cover having a trailing edge and said adjustable product ramp being pivotably mounted to said trailing edge of said ramp cover. 
     
     
       4. The adjustable mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a shaft having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the products, said cradle being freely rotatable on said shaft. 
     
     
       5. The adjustable mechanism of claim 1, wherein said adjustment rod has a forward end extending forwardly of said front side of said column, said forward end being formed into a handle, and wherein said adjustable mechanism further comprises a cover plate extending across said front side of said column with said handle extending therethrough, said cover plate including a position gauge thereon indicating positions of said handle corresponding to preselected product sizes. 
     
     
       6. The adjustable mechanism of claim 5, wherein said cover plate further includes a size gauge for measuring the size of an article. 
     
     
       7. The adjustable mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a rear spacer at said back side of said column, said rear spacer being forwardly and rearwardly adjustable relative to said front side of said column to accommodate products of different lengths. 
     
     
       8. The adjustable mechanism of claim 1, further comprising left and right product retainers at said front side of said column, said left and right product retainers being independently forwardly and rearwardly adjustable relative to said front side of said column to accommodate products of different lengths. 
     
     
       9. An adjustable mechanism for vending products in front and rear corded stacks, the products having parallel longitudinal axes, said mechanism comprising: left and right column walls defining a column for retaining the products in a corded stack, said column having an open bottom end, a front side, and a back side, said column being divided into front and rear sections;   front and rear product funnels positioned respectively in said front and rear sections above said bottom end, said front and rear product funnels having respective outlets;   front and rear adjustable product ramps interposed between said outlets of said front and rear product funnels, respectively, and said open bottom end of said column, said front and rear adjustable product ramps being independently pivotable about respective pivot axes parallel to the longitudinal axes of the products;   front and mar adjustment rods in engagement with said front and rear adjustable product ramps, respectively, said front and rear adjustable product ramps pivoting about their pivot axes in response to movement of said adjustment rods to change the width of said open bottom of said column at said front and back sections to accommodate products of different sizes;   front and rear rotatable cradles below said outlets of said front and rear product funnels, respectively, positioned to releasably support the bottommost products in said front and rear corded stacks, said front and rear rotatable cradles being rotatable independently of each other; and   front and rear motors drivingly connected to said front and rear rotatable cradles, respectively.   
     
     
       10. The adjustable mechanism of claim 9, further comprising front and rear fixed product ramps in communication with said outlets of said front and rear product funnels, respectively, said front and rear fixed product ramps having respective trailing edges and said front and rear cradles being positioned adjacent said trailing edges of said front and rear fixed product ramps, respectively. 
     
     
       11. The adjustable mechanism of claim 10, further comprising front and rear ramp covers extending downwardly from said front and rear product funnels, respectively, in spaced apart relation to said front and rear fixed product ramps, respectively, said front and rear ramp covers each having a trailing edge and said front and back adjustable product ramps being respectively pivotably mounted to said trailing edges of said front and rear ramp covers. 
     
     
       12. The adjustable mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a shaft having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the products, said front and rear cradles being freely rotatable on said shaft. 
     
     
       13. The adjustable mechanism of claim 9, wherein said front and rear adjustment rods each have a forward end extending forwardly of said front side of said column, said forward end being formed into a handle, and wherein said adjustable mechanism further comprises a cover plate covering said front side of said column with said handles extending therethrough, said cover plate including a gauge thereon indicating positions of said handles corresponding to preselected product sizes. 
     
     
       14. The adjustable mechanism of claim 13, wherein said cover plate further includes a size gauge for measuring the size of an article. 
     
     
       15. The adjustable mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a rear spacer at said back side of said column, said rear spacer being laterally adjustable relative to said front side of said column to accommodate products of different lengths. 
     
     
       16. The adjustable mechanism of claim 9, further comprising left and right product retainers at said front side of said column, said left and right product retainers being independently forwardly and rearwardly adjustable relative to said front side of said column to accommodate products of different lengths.